


Cold Comfort

by rainalin



Series: Cold Verse [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied Relationships, M/M, Morally Ambiguous Character, Past Relationship(s), Spoilers: Bête Noire, Spoilers: Missing, Spoilers: Reveille
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-05-23
Updated: 2004-05-23
Packaged: 2017-11-20 11:41:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainalin/pseuds/rainalin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened after Gibbs left Ari on the floor of the morgue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE1: I got to wondering why it was that Tony and Ari never got to meet face-to-face and my evil mind came up with this. Hope you like it. 
> 
> NOTE2: /…/ is for phone conversations. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: The characters of NCIS belong to lots of people that are so not me. CBS and the guy that owns JAG also own these characters. I am just borrowing them. I promise to return them with little to no damage, so please look kindly upon my actions.

After making sure that Agent Gibbs had indeed left the area, Ari closed his eyes against the pain and laid his head back onto the cold floor of the morgue. Pressing down on his injury, he took stock of the situation he found himself in and laughed softly. 

The sound of the door opening caused him to tense up but he relaxed once he recognized the familiar footsteps approaching him and remained where he was. Sighing, his visitor set down a heavy box near his head and knelt beside him. 

"I thought I told you I wasn't going to patch you up if you tangled with Gibbs again, Ari."

The gentle teasing was accompanied by a tender touch to his shoulder and he relaxed into it and let the other man move his hand away to tend to his wound. As his healer worked on him, Ari became aware that the skill in the other man's hands had increased and let a small smile curve his lips. 

"I see you listened to my advice and took some first-aid classes."

Looking up into warm hazel eyes, Ari inclined his head as gracefully as he could while still sprawled out on the cold floor. 

"It's been awhile, Antonio."

Antonio DiNozzo just shook his head as he continued to work efficiently on the shoulder wound. "You're a strange, strange man, Ari. You know that, right?"

Ari quirked an eyebrow at the amused tone and then shrugged. "What did you expect from me, Antonio?"

Wrapping the injury with a minimum of fuss, Antonio furrowed his brow at him. "Maybe not having a reunion on the floor of the morgue in the office I work after you got shot by my boss?"

"Ah."

Ari shrugged again and carefully sat up. Finding himself eye-to-eye with worried hazel eyes, Ari decided to let his actions speak for him and reached out. 

Curling his right hand into the short hair at the nape of Antonio's neck, Ari drew him closer and lightly kissed him. Staring straight into his eyes, Ari moved his lips gently over closed lips and nipped at them. With a sigh, Antonio's eyes closed as his lips opened and Ari explored the familiar warmth of his mouth. 

After a few breathless minutes, Ari parted reluctantly from a panting Antonio and smirked. Dazed and darkened hazel eyes stared into his and he waited for Antonio to return to him. After a deep breath, Antonio exhaled very slowly and then laughed. "I've missed you, Ari."

A tender smile curved his lips as Ari nodded. "As have I. It's been much too long since I've gotten a good taste of your mouth…or your body."

A light blush tinged high cheekbones and Ari laughed. "Oh my, Antonio. It has been awhile for you…hasn't it?"

A half-hearted shrug was accompanied by the deepening of the adorable blush and Ari couldn't help himself. Pulling Antonio against his body, Ari began to drop kisses all over the other man's face, lingering especially on his lips. 

Shallow kisses merged into deep, passionate ones and then became light, almost like butterfly wings, as the two men explored each others mouths. Finally, with a disgruntled sigh, Antonio broke away and took a deep breath. 

Ari watched as his companion fought to steady his breathing and had to agree that his own breath was none too steady. Thinking about their kisses, Ari found himself eager to explore the other man's body once again. 

As if the same thought had occurred to Antonio, he began to tidy up the first-aid kit. Ari smiled indulgently at the rather fastidious nature of his long-time friend and lover and moved to help. 

Startled hazel eyes watched him for a moment and then Antonio sighed. "You just get yourself off the floor and we'll get out of here."

Inclining his head, Ari did as Antonio had requested and rose to his feet. Grabbing onto the steel bed beside him, Ari waited for the dizzy spell to leave him and looked into Antonio's worried eyes. "Nothing to worry about, Antonio. I lost blood, I was on the floor, now I am a higher elevation. It just took awhile for my body to readjust."

After looking him over to make sure, Antonio moved away to place the first-aid kit on a desk. Returning to Ari's side, he stared down at the dead form of Marta. "If it had been necessary…would you have actually let her kill me?"

The hesitance in his voice drew Ari from his thoughts and he looked over at Antonio. "I would never allow anyone to harm you, Antonio. Not if I am able to do anything to stop it from happening."

Carefully, he reached over with his injured arm and grasped Antonio's hand. Rubbing his thumb over his fingers, Ari leaned in and rested his forehead on Antonio's shoulder. 

The moment between them was all the more poignant because of the lack of words and it stretched until it seemed that only eternity would be able to hold it. And then, just as suddenly, it was broken and the two men moved away from the steel bed and towards the door. 

Turning to look at his companion, Antonio smiled winningly. "So. Where are we off to now, Ari?"

Ari canted his head to the side and turned a suspicious gaze on his companion. "Why do I get the feeling that I am going to regret asking?"

A puzzled look graced the youthful features of Antonio. "Asking what, Ari?"

Coming to a halt before the elevator that had swallowed Gibbs earlier, Ari just shook his head. "Never mind, Antonio."

Getting into the elevator, Antonio gently patted him on his uninjured shoulder. "Don't worry so much, Ari. You'll go all grey and old if you're not careful."

Catching the sigh that wanted to escape his throat, Ari closes his eyes and called upon his inner strength. Times like this reminded him of why they were not in a long-term relationship. 

Opening his eyes, he looked sideways at his companion and for the first time noticed the signs of strain that he'd missed and frowned thoughtfully. Noticing that the closer they got to the main floor, the tenser Antonio was becoming, Ari acted. 

Pushing the emergency stop button, he brought the elevator to a sudden stop and turning into his companion, he forced him into a corner and leaned in. "What is the matter, Antonio?"

Antonio ducked his head and shifted uncomfortably. Ari waited patiently until Antonio lifted his head and then, he leaned in and kissed him. Not too deep, but not too shallow, it was a kiss of ownership, of protection, and when it was over, Antonio had calmed down. 

A sweet smile curved kiss-bruised lips and Antonio leaned his forehead against Ari's. "When you do things like this, I can't remember why we're not still together."

Ari allowed himself to smile as he waited patiently for Antonio to get to the point. 

"I thought you were dead. And then, you show up here, without telling me, and take Ducky, Gerald and Kate hostage and shoot Gibbs. I didn't know what to think. And I couldn't tell anyone who you were because I knew you had a reason for being here. I even went to the CIA for you, Ari, and I hate those bastards."

Shaking, Antonio his face in Ari's uninjured shoulder. "And then it got worse. Gibbs was obsessed with you. And I was so afraid that he was going to kill you…or you were going to kill him." 

As if the admission had shamed him, Antonio began to move away but Ari stopped him. Reaching around with his good arm, he held him against his body until Antonio relaxed.

"I know that you've developed feelings for your superior, Antonio."

Surprised and wet hazel eyes looked up at him. "How the hell do you know that when I didn't even know it when you showed up?"

Incredulous, Antonio leaned back away from Ari and stared. 

Ari shrugged as he trailed a finger down Antonio's cheek and towards his sensitive collarbone. Running a finger across it, he watched in appreciation as Antonio's eyes began to darken. 

"I know you, remember? It was easy enough to figure out your feelings for him when I observed your reaction to my shooting him."

A smile curved Antonio's lips as he shrugged in defeat. "Yeah. I have a nasty habit of forgetting that you know me. It's been such a long time since you've contacted me…I thought you'd forgotten."

The sly look and blatant lick of his lips caused Ari to laugh lightly. "I would never be able to forget you, my Antonio."

Bright and beautiful, the smile that Antonio gifted him with would have put the sun to shame and enticed Ari to kiss him. So he did. 

When they finally disentangled themselves, Antonio brushed a hand through Ari's hair and sighed. "When you walk away with the FBI, I'm not going to see you again. Am I?"

The worry in his hazel depths and the trembling in his hands spoke to Ari and he cursed his inability to lie to this one person. "I don't think that I will step foot in this office again, at least not as long as Agent's Gibbs and Todd are here."

Letting Antonio puzzle through the answer, Ari pushed the button to resume their interrupted journey. Smiling in relief when Antonio brushed up against him, Ari watched the numbers climb. 

Suddenly, he smirked. 

"Uh, oh."

Glancing over at Antonio, Ari lifted an eyebrow.

"I know that look, Ari. What are you planning?"

Ari leaned over and whispered in Antonio's ear. "What say we make you boss jealous?"

Antonio leaned away from the hot breath and half-shivered, half-shuddered. "Do you have some desire to see me die? If Gibbs saw you do anything to me, he'd kill me because he can't touch you."

Frightened eyes looked at him but Ari just laughed. "He'll be much too angry at the thought of someone touching his property."

Antonio sputtered for a minute but regained his ability to talk just as the elevator doors opened. "I'm not property!"

Ari watched as the sound of Antonio's voice grabbed the attention of the waiting agents. Antonio blushed bright red at the attention and Ari wavered for a moment but, as he looked out and saw the angry and proprietary gaze of Agent Gibbs, he hardened himself to the plea in hazel eyes and reached over to take Antonio's hand. 

Because he was watching so carefully, Ari was the only one to see the flicker of jealousy and rage that crossed Agent Gibbs' expression when he saw the causal and familiar way that he was holding Antonio's hand. 

Pulling his companion along beside him, Ari walked directly towards the waiting agents. Looking over them, he recognized Agent Todd as well as Dr. Mallard but not the Goth-chick or the male standing beside her. 

Smiling at them all politely, he nodded at Dr. Mallard. 

"Please be sure to extend my deepest regrets to dear Gerald. I do hope that the physical therapy is working for him."

Startled, Dr. Mallard gaped at him before turning an appraising look at the silent Antonio. 

Noticing that their attention had been captured by the sight of their joined hands, Ari smirked before maneuvering Antonio to stand before him. Resting his chin on Antonio's shoulder, he breathed gently into the ear nearest him and felt the corresponding shiver all across his own body. 

The reactions he got from the agents was everything he had hoped for. 

Agent Todd’s eyes opened wide and she glanced between them in disbelief. Goth-chick, suit-boy and the doctor all shuddered but the most telling reaction came from Agent Gibbs. 

A low growl erupted from his lips and he took a step forward only to be restrained by Agent Todd. 

The rage in his eyes was unmistakable and Ari loved it. Leaning forward, he lightly bit Antonio's ear as he whispered into it. "I think he wants to kill me."

Shuddering, Antonio turned around in his arms and looked at him. Sorrow and fear had lightened the hazel eyes and Ari sighed softly. Running a gently hand down Antonio's back, he nipped at his lips tenderly, ignoring the shocked gasps from their audience. 

"My Antonio. I think I will miss you most of all."

Ari took his lips in a deep, passionate kiss and was delighted when he heard the whimper that emerged from full lips as he let them go. Kissing him once more in reward, he looked over Antonio's shoulder into the rage-darkened eyes of Agent Gibbs and smiled. "He is precious to me, Agent Gibbs. Treat him well."

Looking back into hazel eyes, this time a tender smile curved his lips and he kissed Antonio once again before steeping away from the warm and comfortable body. 

"I will see you again, my Antonio. Don't forget me."

Turning from the softly smiling Antonio, Ari walked towards the waiting FBI agents and left the NCIS building behind.


End file.
